Athletes of the Week

;

Gabriel Ribeiro ’19- Boys Varsity Soccer

As the boys varsity soccer teams goalkeeper, Gabriel has been a wall in net for the Wildcats this season. Over the past 5 games, Gabriel has conceded just 1 goal which came on a wonder-strike against Pomfret. He has recorded shutouts against Wilbraham and Monson, Suffield, Salisbury, and Deerfield over the past few weeks. He has emerged as a leader of the team during practices as well, where he has mentored younger and less experienced players. Gabriel comes focused on getting better every day, and his positive attitude and tireless work ethic has provided a great example for the whole team. Gabriel has been a tremendous addition to the team this season.

Caroline DiFiore ’19- Girls Varsity Soccer

Caroline has had a great season for the Wildcats. The team’s last two games against Suffield and Loomis have been extremely tight due to the incredible defensive force lead by the senior defender. Caroline’s unwavering leadership in the back four has helped the team grow as a unit, play with discipline, and push through some of the seasons toughest opponents. Caroline’s work ethic is second to none and she continues to make others better around her with her play and dedication to the success of the girls varsity soccer team.

Yavi Cosme-Diaz ’21- Varsity Football

Yavi has been a critical part of the varsity football team’s success this season. He continues to contribute in many ways for the Wildcats. In the second half of Saturday’s game against a talented Salisbury squad, Yavi had 7.5 tackles and added great coverage from his corner position all game. In addition to his defensive prowess, he has also been fantastic on the offensive side of the ball. From his position of running back he is a force as both a runner, pass catcher, and blocker. However, Yavi’s skills on the field are not what sticks out the most. Most importantly, he is a tremendous teammate and leader, who leads by example by bringing a positive attitude and great work ethic each day.

Claire Harrison ‘19– Girls Varsity Cross Country

Claire completed her fifth season on the girls cross country team with another strong performance in the mud at Berkshire. On Saturday, she placed fifth for Williston and 14th out of 61 runners overall, helping the Wildcats beat Berkshire, Millbrook, and Westover.  Claire has competed in every race this season, and after next week’s New England Championships, she will have finished 41 varsity races in a Williston uniform.  Claire has been a strong captain this year and has consistently placed in the top five all season. Claire leads by example day in and day out by bringing a contagious, positive attitude and through her hard work at practice and on race days.

Sophia Jones ‘22-Varsity Field Hockey

Sophia has been a huge contributor to the varsity field hockey team this season. She has worked hard this fall on her attacking skills and her hard work has paid off as she has become a key player on the offensive unit. This past week, her hard worked truly paid off as she netted a hat trick against a tough opponent from Wilbraham and Monson on Wednesday. On Saturday against Suffield, her offensive ability again shined through as she scored another goal helping her team secure the win, 4-1. The squad has enjoyed watching her athleticism and creativity come together and the team will continue to look towards her for her great play and team-first mentality for the remainder of the season.

Jersey Strum ’20- Girls Varsity Volleyball

Jersey has proven her immense and versatile value to the Wildcats this season. Whether providing reliable back row defense, utilizing her passes to trigger the team’s counter attacks, or by taking the matter into her own hands and scoring valuable points with a set of serves, she has been crucial to the team success. Saturday proved more of the same as she came through with an excellent game against host Ethel Walker. She managed to rack up five aces on twelve serves on route to an 11 point scoring streak for the Cats. Jersey’s strong play was directly correlated to the team’s victory, 3-0. Jersey pairs her in-game contributions with a consistent positive attitude and a fantastic leadership ability as she is always on of the hardest workers on the floor.

Connor Touhey ‘20–Boys Varsity Cross Country

Connor has made tremendous improvements this season for the Wildcats. The team saw these efforts pay off again in our most recent race at Berkshire.  Connor finished 6th for the team and 24th out of 89 runners.  Connor diligently trained this summer and broke his PR from last year at Avon just a few weeks ago.  Connor has taken his training very seriously and it’s terrific to see these efforts be rewarded at the close of the season.  The squad looks forward to seeing his continued contributions to the team at the New England race on Saturday.

Alex Walz ’21- Girls JV Cross Country

Alex had one of her best races of the season on Saturday, in slow and muddy conditions at the Berkshire School.  Alex placed 9th for the team and 27th out of 61 runners overall, helping Williston to defeat all four opponents in the JV scoring of the race. The Wildcats JV team beat Suffield 27-30 and the other three opponents by larger margins. Alex continues to train hard in practice and to bring her best effort and intensity to every race.

Dallas Elliott ‘22-JV Football

Dallas had an outstanding game against Cardigan Mountain School, leading the JV football team to a thrilling 22-18 victory on Wednesday.  He had a number of long runs, including a 60-yard touchdown run, as well as a good game passing the football from his quarterback position.  Dallas’s leadership has continued to develop as the season has progressed and he is poised to have an outstanding career in the Williston football program in the coming years.

Devon Morgan ‘21-Girls JV Soccer

Devon has had a great season for the girls jv soccer team. She has been a strong force in the defense unit yet again this season! This year, without hesitation, Devon stepped into the very important role of sweeper. As the last defender, she must communicate and command the team’s defensive shape. She has excelled at this job and has been a great support to the team. This past week, she organized the team against a quick offensive threat from Bement School. She is an awesome teammate, as is always ready to appreciate everyone on the team. Devon has been a great leader all season, never hesitating to step up during pre-game and half-time talks to focus the team and create strategies.

Benning Johnson ’22- Boys JV Water Polo

Benning has had a great season for the Wildcats. He has made incredible progress in his first year playing water polo. In a tough contest versus Loomis, Benning was a force in the pool. His strong swimming speed led to 4 personal fouls caused by his opponents and allowed him to add an assist to his stat sheet on the day. On defense Benning made 3 steals shutting down the Loomis counterattack. Benning is a major part of the bright future of Williston water polo.